California has several employment laws on the books that protect employees against acts such as harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and an unsafe work environment. However, far too many workers let their employers off the hook by moving on to the next job.
In California, you have the right to file a lawsuit against your employer for violating one or more employment statutes. Over the past several years, a number of employees decided not to let their employers off the hook by taking them to court and winning a civil lawsuit.
- Mercy General Hospital of Sacramento paid a $168 million settlement for sexual harassment
- Rite Aid of Los Angeles paid $3.5 million for discriminating against employees because of a disability
- Qwest Communications of San Francisco paid $2.3 million for a sexual harassment lawsuit
The number of employees that refuse to let their employers off the legal hook has grown since 2005. That is step one in getting the compensation you deserve for employment law violations. For the second step, you have to know how to find the best California employment attorney.
Word of Mouth Advertising
You ask trusted friends for restaurant recommendations. Your family provides you with advice on where to buy your next new car. Professional peers had insight into finding the best place to shop for work clothes.
You should tap into the experiences of friends, family members, and professional peers when it comes to choosing the best California employment lawyer.
Word of mouth advertising is especially important when selecting an attorney. There could be tens of thousands of dollars on the line.
Research, Research, Research
Even if a close friend or family member directs you towards a successful California employment attorney, you still should take time to research the recommended lawyer. If you do not get any recommendations from your personal and professional networks, then you want to access the California Bar Association website to use its referral service. All you have to do is type “Employment attorney” plus the name of the city where you live.
The best employment lawyers will present helpful information about the firm, the firm’s practice areas, client testimonials, and blog posts that answer the most common questions. You also should be able to read about each of the professional credentials earned by the attorneys that are a part of the law firm.
Free Case Evaluations
After conducting extensive research, narrow your list of candidates to three firms. Call each firm to schedule a free case evaluation. A case evaluation gives an employment attorney a good idea about the strength of your claim. You should gather and organize evidence to bring to the free case evaluation, as well as the names of witnesses that observed your employer violating one or more employment statutes. Before you attend the free case evaluation, take time to research the current employment laws on the books in California.
Build a Personal and Professional Rapport
You should not expect to become best friends with your employment lawyer, but you want to work with an attorney who is easy to approach with questions. Your employment lawyer must be accessible during the day, whether your attorney picks up the phone to talk with you or returns an email message in a timely manner. You have to develop trust that your attorney will do what is in your best legal interests. A free case evaluation should give you a good idea about the trustworthiness of every attorney that you meet.
The experienced and easy to access attorneys at the PLBH Law Firm are ready to meet with you to discuss your claim. Call us today at (800) 435-7542 to schedule a free case evaluation.